Waterfowl activity has reached its peak in the northern Prairies and the Upper Great Lakes. The low pressure systems that dumped a lot of snow in eastern Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin has passed, leaving freezing temperatures and ice in it’s path. Hunters throughout the Central and Mississippi Flyway reported high-flying birds this weekend as migration activity kicked into high gear.
Hello folks, and as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
A quick glance at the surface temperature and snow cover maps (links at right) reveal the forces behind this past weekend’s migration event. Of course, any duck hunter worth his worn, patched-waders knows that it doesn’t take a rocket scientist or website to tell them that good weather will move ducks. What Waterfowler.com is here for, with the help of the waterfowling community, is help determine how what moved and how far they moved.
Interestingly enough, despite peak activity in the Dakotas, hunters in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri are only reporting incremental increases in waterfowl numbers and wondering why they aren’t “covered up” in ducks. Migration activity like this often leads hunter to question where or not they were victims of a great “fly-by” or immediately question the results and predictions of the breeding surveys. In actuality, the “fly-by” has been occurring throughout the season in the form of a trickle-migration.
Migration is in constant flux once it beings. While bird numbers may seem to be moderate in your area, birds are in constant motion and as ducks slowly depart from hunting pressure and favorable winds, they are replace by ducks from the north. These changes may often be more visible in the changes of species seen than overall numbers or activity. Thus far this season, weather systems have provided perfect conditions for a trickle migration.
Hard cold fronts, like the one on experienced on the Northern Prairies and Great Lakes this weekend, was relatively contained to a couple far northern states. The front was not a sub-zero arctic blast that froze everything in its path and forced every duck and goose south at once. Most of the early migrating ducks were already strung out from one end of the flyway to the other. There are still excellent numbers of mallards in the Dakotas. Snow geese are present in the prairies and building in Texas. In summary, the birds are everywhere and nowhere all at once.
As seasons begin to open in the far south and we approach the peak of waterfowl season on Thanksgiving weekend, waterfowl season will be open from the top to the bottom of all the flyways, reporting we reveal just how many birds have trickled south and how far.
Weather experts and models are predicting a series of storms this week that will move from the Pacific Northwest into the Northern Central Flyway. While this is expected to bring excellent waterfowl activity to the Pacific Flyway, the migration in the Central flyway will continue at the current pace, as temperatures will rebound again in the lower two-thirds of the flyway.
With much needed rain falling in the lower Mississippi and Atlantic flyways, hunters in the south are welcoming the precipitation with open arms and hoping habitat conditions will improve dramatically.
Until the weather trends change and provide a harsh, freeze and snowline that compresses ducks to the south, they will remain scattered with overall moderate to localized heavy activity, and low activity periods in states with warmer temperatures. The good news is, there are ducks to be had from north to south and the season isn’t over. Scout, hunt and enjoy the benefits of the trickle migration.
PACIFIC FLYWAY:
Storms are brewing in the Pacific Northwest and waterfowl activity is expected to increase dramatically over the coming week. Duck numbers in the Washington and Oregon are slightly above average for this time of year hunter success expected to increase as weather moves these birds around. White-fronted goose numbers are excellent in the Sacramento Valley at this time with light goose numbers fair to good in most areas. Duck numbers in Utah are expected to increase dramatically over the next week and waterfowl activity in southern California and Nevada will likely increase as weather systems move the birds that are present.
CENTRAL FLYWAY:
Mallard activity is near peak in Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas at this time with snow geese on the moving down the flyway at an excellent pace. Mallard numbers are slowly climbing in Nebraska, Oklahoma and Kansas at this time, with the “gray ducks” still providing the primary bag. Light goose numbers have increased dramatically in Texas over the past week, with duck numbers along the Gulf Coast continuing to build as much of the trickle migration reaches it’s southernmost destination.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY:
Snow in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa is providing excellent hunting for hunters in the far north as moves birds south. Duck numbers continue to rise in Illinois and Missouri at this time as a result of the storm system. Hunting in the eastern part of the Great Lakes remains good to excellent on divers in the far north, with puddle duck activity fair to good in Indiana and Ohio – were temperatures remain warmer. In Missouri, flight birds have been reported for the past few days and numbers are increasing on all species. Hunters from Arkansas to Louisiana continue to pump water and try to outpace evaporation rates in preparation for the early part of their season. With any luck the current storm systems will provide much needed rain to refuge areas to help hold birds.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY:
Peak numbers of waterfowl remain in eastern Ontario at this time and hunters in the northern portion of the flyway are awaiting the first great flights of ducks. Duck numbers in the New England States remain fair at this time as early migrating ducks continue south with a slow replenishment from the north. Sea duck hunting is good to excellent along the northeastern shores and divers good on Chesapeake Bay and in New Jersey. To the south, wood duck and teal numbers are good to excellent, with ring-necked ducks average for this time of year.
Until next week, hunt safe and hunt often.
